Vehicle



J. W. ARNEY.

OCCUPANT PROPELLED VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED 056.8. 1911.

1 3 I 3, 1 57 Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

THE COLUMBIA PLANDGIZAPH cm. WASHINGTON. n. c.

J. W. ARNEY.

OCCUPANT PROPELLED VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.B. 1912.

1 ,3 1 3, 1 5'7 Patented Aug. 12, 1919. I

2 SHEETSSHEET 2. I

51mm JWflrne 13 mm W 951, 4%; W

THE CQLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c9.. WASHINGTON, n. c.

its gbarsllvl 'upen Whie UNITED STATES PATENT OFF -Q t LI R Y, Q TQMAH KW SO S N, ASS E OBED .ALEXANDEBE LEI'IfH, OFACHIGALGO, ILLINOIS.

- oocUP-nN-T-FnoP- LEmvnnicnn.

"Specification ofLettersIPatenti PatentedAugIJZQItQiQ.

eminentnlemna mb ris, 1e17- iS ri ifl -iz fizmr Tomahawk, in the conntyvofLincolnn-nd 5 State of ,WiSCOIlSl lyhaveinvented newrand ,usefu'l Improvements in; Occnpant P ropelled Vehicles, of which the following isa specifica n- Y Y s nv n ion irelat ip rti nhfly to a cupant propelled Nehicles, E'designed primarily-for the use of children.

T e-p imany jec istom c d ;a-ch of imp an n xpen i e cons ruct o Y which may be propelled with facility by the occupant, the propelling mechanism ,of

the ehicle being gear1e. and pi exceedinglyv simple construction.

A further objectzis to providea'vehide of the character indicated equipped -.W; h;;.gearless propelling mechanism of such character that the i icle can :rcadi y :turn Or st ed in any. di ection (wi hout-such mov ment being impeded by the propelling mec a ism, and Wh h, indeed, h tu ing movement is facilitated by the propellingmechanism.

The invention iis villnstl, ated ;in 1itS ;pref r ed em odimen in th a company ng drawings, inlwhichv F-igure ;1;repr,esen ts a side; elevational view of a vehicle embodying the invention; Eig. 2, a'plan viewiofrthe same; -F,ig.,3,-a perspec- V :tive view ofzthe propelli 'mc eni m; Fig. 4, alhorizontal plansectional yiemdllustrating .a modification; Figs. (5,6 ;and 1-7, idetail views, showingethe lower portion of a ;pushbar device employed in the modification ;shown in 'F-ig. hithese views illustrating the;

manner of contactof ;the mevo'luble shoe employed with the ground in vanious positions -0f;tl1e pnSh1 ba =I-,; llig. -8 a plan 'view, :diagramm'atic in character, illustrating the turning mO-Vement of the vehicle; ,and Fig. 9, h etai d vi .o i h fift -Whee struction employed. 7

Referring, .-fi1:st, to Figs. -1 vto .3, inclusive, 5 denotes the :vehicle body, amounted {Qn the gfront axle 6 and a rear axle {7, the ;a-xl esbein equipped with rubber-tired Wheels 8. 511 t e gillustrationgiven the f;;ront axle is y pivotally connectedto vthe front ,portion ;of "thebOdy '5 by {means of a king bolt 9. "The body .5 com rises a pair of spaced :beamsor bars like/ash.

1s;-me\inted. the nestle,

7 central. longitudinal space -.of the mush-bar equipped w th seatesitpporting the seat being. disposed near the rear end of l h y ta-, uitahl el e cn- 4.;

The t spacing -of {the ibars; or fl'ttIlIQyHlQlIlthe-rs 10 {is prefer-ably 2311011538 :to provide a substantiall triangular, space or slet 13: be 6 0 tween them, -,it be1ng noted that ithe "bars QQnve1gefrom -the rear end ofgtheivehicleito th rcnt nd," T murp ec .spec n m1 1y hcrizc e sham -m mbe s h em n er d sc be huspr viding-t 15 ;s .bstant e1 spe erbetw th m. in- -heman- -ner :illustnated in (Big. 2, is {to permit {the gfacile tinstallation o the propelling E mechanism and ireedomi of openation through "the of the propelling; mechanism, it being: noted 1 1,tha tv tit;is desirable to have 213116 ;pushTbar assume va nying inclinations in the central 7 longitudinal plane ;in (the ordinary straightahead propulsion (of -thewehicle, and to gas 7 5 'sume varying-inclinations in diagonal tplenein the operation; of turning oristeering the vehicle.

illhe; propelling -mechanis1n preferably is :of the exceedingly simple characten illustrated in Fig. i3, cornpnisingi-a handdever v 15 consisting of a bar, 16, havingits lower front end pontionenlarged to occupy the ;space ,between t e iframmmembers 10', ,some .distance back of the iront .axlefthe pivot ;portion being mounted onq a bolt ,17 vvhich connects the ,members 10 and atransverse handlebar ;18- secured to the upper ,end 'POI" tion ,of the memberilfi and serving as a mea vc actuating the Eleven; and,- ;a pus bar 19,, sWiveled to ;the :hand-ilever l6, as ,in- 'dieated ,at 20., ,a-hshort distance 'below the handle-bar 1 8. The; swivel, Connection 20 is :-in the dorm of an, eye which projects axially ,from the u-pper-endi-of th bar .1 3, and

7 'eye zbolt connected ,the17eyvith and extending hand-leveris drawnrearwardly, the shoe of the push-bar engages the ground and propels the vehicle. turn the vehicle, he does so by steering it by means of his feet through the medium of the front axle; and by reason of the substantially universal connection at the po nt 20, the push-bar 19 is capable of assumlngan inclined diagonal position, that is, a position in an inclined plane which intersects the longitudinal vertical central plane of-the vehicle in which the hand-lever 15 operates. Thus, the propelling mechanism is capable of operating freely in making turns as well as when the machine is moving in a straight ahead course. The construction not only permits the turning movement without the push-bar becoming caught or wedged, but

the propelling mechanism will aid in the turning movement of the vehicle.

It will be noted from Fig. 1 that the lower corner of the rounded or convexlower end of the shoe engages the ground. In the straight-ahead movement of the machine, the intermediate 'portion engages the ground; and as the machine turns in one direction or the other, the shoe rocks on its rounded lower edge, so that one end portion orthe other of the rounded lower edge ongages the ground, depending upon the way the machine is turned.

The construction illustrated in Figs. 4: to

7, inclusive, is similar, except that the framemembers 10 are arranged in parallel rela tion and spaced a short distance apart. In

this case, the push-bar 19 moves in the slot afforded between the members 10; and bythe ground when the vehiclemakes a turn. ,F or this purpose the lower end of the bar 1.)

is equipped with a bracket or yoke 27 in which is mounted a revoluble shoe 21 This is accomplished by providing the end'portions of the arms of the yoke 27 with alined perforations 28 which receive the axle studs 29 of the shoe 21 Upon the turning or swerving of the vehicle, the shoe 21 will roll laterally upon the ground; and the propelling mechanism still may be actuated, owing to the oval form which is preferably 1 given to the member 21 Thus, the member 21 may contact with the ground at an intermediate point as shown in Fig. 6, at the end point 30 as shown in Fig. 5, or at theother end point 31 as shown in Fig. 7, correspond-' ing with various positions inclination of the push-har 19-.

lVhen the child'desires to .In Figs. 1 and 2, the frame-members 10 are shown connected back of the pivot 17 by a transverse rod or push-bar support 32, upon which the push-bar may be supported in the manner illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, when the propelling lever 15 is in the, extreme forward position. This enables the push-bar to be held free from the ground in coasting, or in passing over obstructions. It may be added that in the ordinary operation of the machine, the universal connectionof the push-bar with the hand-lever, in the illustration given in Figs. 1 and'2, enables the bar to move in any direction in case an obstruction is encountered, thus preventing injury to the machine and its occupant.

In Fig. 9, there is shown a fifth-wheel'33, through which the king bolt 9 extends. This fi'fth wheel comprises a pair of disks 34 and 35, one of said disks being provided with a projection 56 which fits in sockets 37 of the other-disk, preventing any accidental swerving or turning of the front axle when the vehicle is being propelled in the straight line course. Obviously, when desiring to turn the vehicle, the operator by thrusting 7 his foot against the front axle may readily disengage the projection 36 from the sockets 37. I

The construction illustrated and described is of exceedingly'simplecharacter, and may be profitably marketed at a comparatively small price. The vehicle is especially useful for children, affording a pleasant form of recreation and healthful exercise. The form of construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, is especially desirable, as well as cheap to manufacture. The design of the body of the vehicle may be varied greatly,

of course.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitation should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

hat Iregard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s:

' ing a wheeled body capable of being steered, said body having a central longitudinal space, a hand-lever pivotally connected with the front portion of the body, and a pushbar having its upper end joined by universal connection with the handlever and having its lower end adapted to engage the ground and cause propulsion of the vehicle when the Q hand-lever is swung rearwardly.

2. An occupant propelled vehicle comprising a wheeledbody capable of being steered,

said 'body' having a longitudinal central space, a hand-lever having its lower end port1on pivotally mounted in said space near the front end of the body, said hand-lever 1. An occupant propelled vehicle comprisadapted to swing in a central longitudinal vertical plane, and a push-bar working through said space and having its upper portion joined by an articulate connection to the hand-lever near its upper end and hav-.

tudinal space and equipped at its rear portion with a seat, a hand-lever having 1ts lower end pivotally mounted in said body near the front end thereof, and a push-bar having universal connection at its upper end with the said hand-lever and having its lower end equipped with a rounded friction shoe adapted to engage the ground and cause propulsion of the vehicle when the handlever is swung rearwardly.

4:. An occupant propelled vehicle compris ing a pair of longitudinal frame-members spaced apart and provided with a central longitudinal space, a wheeled axle upon which the rear ends of said frame-members are mounted, a wheeled front axle having swivel connection with the front portion of said body, said front axle having its ends projecting at the sides of the body to afford foot rests, a hand-lever having its lower end disposed between said frame-members and pivotally connected therewith a short distance back of the front axle, and a pushbar working through said central space and having its upper end in articulate connection with said hand-lever and having its lower end equipped with a rounded friction shoe adapted to engage the ground and cause propulsion of the vehicle when the hand-lever is swung rearwardly.

5. An occupant propelled vehicle comprising a pair of longitudinal spaced framemembers which converge forwardly, a wheeled rear axle supporting the rear ends of said frame-members, a wheeled dirigible front support for said frame members, a hand-lever having its lower end pivotally connected with said frame-members near the front end of the body, and a push-bar having its upper end joined by universal connection to said hand-lever and having its lower end adapted to engage the ground and cause propulsion of the vehicle when the hand-lever is swung rearwardly.

6. An occupant propelled vehicle comprising a wheeled body adapted to be steered, said body provided with a central longitudinal space, a hand-lever pivotally connected with said body and adapted to swing in a central longitudinal vertical plane, a pushbar having articulate connection with said hand-lever at its upper end and having its lower end equipped with a shoe adapted to engage the ground, and a push-bar supporting member carried by said body and adapt ed to support the push-bar free from the ground when the hand-lever is swung to an extreme forward position.

7. An occupant propelled vehicle comprising a body, a propelling bar pivoted thereto, a pusher bar swiveled to the propelling bar, a friction shoe on the free end of the pusher bar to engage with the road surface, and means for limiting the lateral swinging of the pusher bar with respect to the body.

8. An occupant propelled vehicle compris- 7 ing a wheeled body, a propelling bar pivoted thereto, a push bar swiveled to the propellin bar, and a shoe arranged on the free end of the push bar and disposed angularly with respect to the plane of movement of said propelling bar.

9. A vehicle including a body, occupant propelled mechanism pivotally associated with said body, and a shoe journaled to said propelling mechanism for rotation angularly with respect to the course of travel of the vehicle.

10. A vehicle including a body, a propelling bar pivoted thereto, a push bar swiveled to the propelling bar, and a shoe journaled in the lower end of the push bar for movements at right angles with respect to the point of articulation of the said propelling bar and push bar.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN WILLIAM ARNEY.

Min of this potent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Wuhington, D. 0. 

